🧡 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super Quick: Ready in under 20 minutes with minimal prep.
- Crispy Outside, Juicy Inside: The air fryer cooks meatballs perfectly every time.
- Healthy & High-Protein: Made with lean meat and simple spices.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: Great for bowls, pasta, salads, or on their own.
- Family-Friendly: Mild flavor profile that works for kids and adults.
These juicy Air Fryer Meatballs are cooked to golden perfection in minutes. They’re crispy on the outside, tender inside, and perfect for quick dinners, appetizers, or meal prep.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10–12 minutes
Cook Temperature: 380°F (193°C)
Total Time: 20–22 minutes
Servings: 16 meatballs (4 servings)
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey, beef, or chicken
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (regular or panko)
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Optional: 1 tbsp milk for extra tenderness
Optional Serving Ideas
- Marinara sauce
- Fresh basil
- Toothpicks for appetizers
Directions
- Prepare the mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, Parmesan, parsley, seasonings, salt, and pepper. Mix just until combined (don’t over-mix).
- Shape into meatballs: Roll into 1 to 1.5-inch balls—about 16 total.
- Preheat the air fryer: Set to 380°F (193°C) for 2–3 minutes.
- Arrange meatballs: Place meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Do not overcrowd; cook in batches if needed.
- Air fry: Cook for 10–12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
- Check doneness: Internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) for poultry meatballs or 160°F (71°C) for beef.
- Serve: Enjoy with marinara, pasta, rice bowls, salads, or as an appetizer.
Recipe Notes & Variations
Variations
- Spicy Version: Add crushed red pepper flakes or use spicy Italian sausage.
- Cheesy Meatballs: Add ¼ cup shredded mozzarella.
- Low-Carb/Keto: Swap breadcrumbs for almond flour.
- Mediterranean Style: Add oregano, lemon zest, and chopped spinach.
Tips
- Avoid packing meat too tightly—keeps meatballs tender.
- For ultra-crispy meatballs, spray lightly with olive oil before cooking.
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized meatballs.
🍽️ Nutrition Information (Per Serving)
(Assuming the recipe makes 4 servings — values below are for 1 serving of 3–4 meatballs)
- Calories: 285
- Protein: 24g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Total Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 8g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
- Sodium: 540mg
- Sugar: 2g
- Vitamin A: 4% DV
- Vitamin C: 2% DV
- Calcium: 6% DV
- Iron: 12% DV
Tools You’ll Need
- Air Fryer – Get on Amazon
- Mixing Bowl – Get on Amazon
- Meat Thermometer – Get on Amazon
- Cookie Scoop (for even meatballs) – Get on Amazon
- Silicone Tongs – Get on Amazon
- Cutting Board & Knife – Get on Amazon
